X-Ray Scanning in Petroleum Engineering Laboratory Research

This paper summarizes applications of Computerized Axial Tomography to a variety of experimental problems in reservoir engineering and Enhanced Oil Recovery research. Stanford University acquired a used medical Cat scanner in 1987. The system has been modified for determination of heterogeneities and measurement of In-Situ saturations in multiphase flow experiments. The poster presentation will include a description of the equipment, a poster presentation will include a description of the equipment, a discussion of the various types of softwares used for interpretation and display of the results and several examples of applications. Among those emphasis will be placed on the following:–Verification of homogeneity in sandpacks–Foam flow (Determination of liquid and gas saturations in two phase systems)–Three dimensional steam injection model–Studies of flow through fractured media - relative permeability studies Discussions of our answers to specific problems as well as example pictures of scans of cores and fluids will be presented. Cat Scanning is now used as a powerful tool to complement existing laboratory measurement, it can be used in a broad range of experiments including high pressure and high temperature thermal recovery corefloods. p. 595